- USCIS will finish FY 2027 selection notices by March 31, 2026, under new weighted wage rules.
- The new system favors higher-paid roles, giving Level IV positions a 61% selection rate versus 15% for Level I.
- Selected employers must file full petitions between April 1 and June 30, 2026, to secure worker spots.
- The top 50 sponsors ranked below show how salary levels now drive selection odds under the 4-3-2-1 weighting.
(UNITED STATES) — USCIS is expected to complete FY 2027 H-1B cap selection notices by March 31, 2026, after a registration season shaped by the new Wage-Weighted Selection System and the beneficiary-centric rule.
For employers, this year’s cap season was not just about volume. It was about wage level, job design, and clean registration data. For employees, the result is a more uneven field. Higher-paid roles appear to have better odds, while Level I cases face a harder path.
USCIS and DHS signaled this policy shift over the past year. The FY 2027 season opened on March 4, 2026, with selection tied to the Department of Labor’s wage levels. The one-registration-per-beneficiary rule remained in place, which limited duplicate filings for the same person across employers.
FY 2027 H-1B cap timeline
| FY 2027 Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration Opens | March 4, 2026 |
| Registration Closes | Mid-to-late March 2026 |
| Selection Notification | By March 31, 2026 |
| Filing Window Opens | April 1, 2026 |
| Filing Window Closes | June 30, 2026 |
| Earliest Employment Start | October 1, 2026 |
📅 Key Date: Selected registrants should prepare full H-1B filings starting April 1, 2026. Most employers will have a 90-day filing window.
What changed this year
The biggest policy shift was the Wage-Weighted Selection System. Under this system, entries were weighted by DOL wage level rather than treated equally.
| India | China | ROW | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Dec 15, 2022 ▼107d | Apr 01, 2023 | Current |
| EB-2 | Sep 01, 2013 ▼317d | Sep 01, 2021 | Current |
| EB-3 | Dec 15, 2013 ▲30d | Aug 01, 2021 ▲47d | Jun 01, 2024 |
| F-1 | Sep 01, 2017 | Sep 01, 2017 | Sep 01, 2017 |
| F-2A | Jan 01, 2025 ▲153d | Jan 01, 2025 ▲153d | Jan 01, 2025 ▲153d |
That means a petition tied to Level IV wages had more selection weight than a Level I filing. The system also kept the beneficiary-centric process, which gives each person one cap registration opportunity, even if several employers try to register them.
This moved the cap season away from the old volume model. It also pushed employers to re-check SOC codes, wage levels, and salary offers before registration.
USCIS and DOL data remain the main verification tools. Employers and workers should review the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub and prevailing wage data on flcdatacenter.com.
FY 2027 selection structure and odds
The weighted structure described for this season used the DOL’s four wage levels:
| Wage Level | Entries in Selection Pool | Approx. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level IV | 4 entries | 61% |
| Level III | 3 entries | 46% |
| Level II | 2 entries | 31% |
| Level I | 1 entry | 15% |
These figures matter for both legal strategy and budgeting. A role filed at Level I may still qualify as a specialty occupation, but it may face harder lottery odds and more scrutiny.
USCIS has already examined cases with entry-level wages, broad duties, unrelated degrees, and third-party placements more closely. A low wage level does not bar approval. It does, however, require stronger facts.
⚠️ Employer Alert: Employers must pay at least the higher of the prevailing wage or actual wage. Wage level selection should match the job’s duties and required experience.
Registration volume compared with the prior cycle
| Cap Season | Eligible Registrations | Unique Beneficiaries (est.) | Unique Employers (est.) | Selection Rate (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2025 | 470,342 | ~442,000 | ~52,700 | ~29% |
| FY 2026 | 343,981 | ~339,000 | ~57,600 | ~35% |
| FY 2027 | Not yet released | Not yet released | Not yet released | Not yet released |
FY 2026 registrations fell about 29.6% to roughly 344,000, compared with about 470,000 in FY 2025. That drop was widely linked to the beneficiary-centric rule, which cut down on duplicate registrations for the same worker and gave USCIS cleaner cap data.
For employers, it reduced the old practice of filing many entries around the same beneficiary. For workers, it made selection more tied to the person than to sponsor count. The selection rate improved from roughly 29% in FY 2025 to about 35% in FY 2026.
For FY 2027, the same anti-duplication rule stayed in place, but wage weighting changed sponsor behavior again. Higher-salary employers appear to have gained an edge, especially in engineering, AI, and senior technical roles. USCIS completed the FY 2027 initial registration selection process and confirmed it received enough registrations to meet the 85,000 cap (65,000 regular plus 20,000 advanced degree exemption).
Top 50 H-1B employers ranked by petition data
The table below ranks the 50 largest H-1B sponsors using data from the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub (FY 2025 approvals) and Labor Condition Application records. The average salary column reflects each employer’s typical H-1B filing, and the wage level indicator shows where most of that employer’s petitions fall under the DOL’s four-tier system.
| # | Employer | Sector | FY 2025 Approvals (est.) | Avg. Salary | Typical Wage Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazon | Tech | 10,044 | $142,588 | Level II–III |
| 2 | Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) | IT Services | 5,505 | $84,372 | Level I–II |
| 3 | Microsoft | Tech | 5,189 | $156,382 | Level III–IV |
| 4 | Meta (Facebook) | Tech | 5,123 | $197,373 | Level III–IV |
| 5 | Apple | Tech | 4,202 | $169,409 | Level III–IV |
| 6 | Tech | 4,181 | $165,730 | Level III–IV | |
| 7 | Cognizant | IT Services | 3,500 | $96,378 | Level I–II |
| 8 | Ernst & Young (EY) | Consulting | 2,800 | $136,922 | Level II–III |
| 9 | Deloitte | Consulting | 2,353 | $126,303 | Level II–III |
| 10 | Capgemini | IT Services | 2,100 | $105,361 | Level I–II |
| 11 | Infosys | IT Services | 2,004 | $92,357 | Level I–II |
| 12 | Accenture | Consulting | 1,900 | $113,187 | Level II–III |
| 13 | HCL America | IT Services | 1,800 | $103,883 | Level I–II |
| 14 | Intel | Tech | 1,700 | $116,509 | Level II–III |
| 15 | Walmart | Retail / Tech | 1,600 | $138,461 | Level II–III |
| 16 | JPMorgan Chase | Finance | 1,550 | $144,492 | Level II–III |
| 17 | Wipro | IT Services | 1,523 | $84,829 | Level I–II |
| 18 | IBM | Tech | 1,450 | $110,032 | Level II–III |
| 19 | Qualcomm | Tech | 1,300 | $129,089 | Level II–III |
| 20 | Cisco Systems | Tech | 1,200 | $134,930 | Level II–III |
| 21 | Tesla | Auto / Tech | 1,150 | $144,345 | Level II–III |
| 22 | Goldman Sachs | Finance | 1,050 | $134,952 | Level II–III |
| 23 | Salesforce | Tech | 1,000 | $189,764 | Level III–IV |
| 24 | NVIDIA | Tech | 980 | $226,005 | Level III–IV |
| 25 | Tech Mahindra | IT Services | 951 | $96,261 | Level I–II |
| 26 | Tech | 920 | $154,414 | Level III | |
| 27 | PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) | Consulting | 880 | $156,887 | Level II–III |
| 28 | Fidelity | Finance | 850 | $110,359 | Level II |
| 29 | Citibank | Finance | 820 | $148,043 | Level II–III |
| 30 | Oracle | Tech | 790 | $131,499 | Level II–III |
| 31 | PayPal | Tech | 770 | $157,441 | Level III |
| 32 | Mphasis | IT Services | 750 | $108,289 | Level I–II |
| 33 | LTIMindtree | IT Services | 730 | $103,970 | Level I–II |
| 34 | Adobe | Tech | 720 | $161,679 | Level III–IV |
| 35 | Uber | Tech | 680 | $168,079 | Level III |
| 36 | Bank of America | Finance | 650 | $141,492 | Level II–III |
| 37 | Netflix | Tech | 600 | $248,000 | Level IV |
| 38 | ServiceNow | Tech | 550 | $136,061 | Level II–III |
| 39 | eBay | Tech | 530 | $167,963 | Level III |
| 40 | VMware (Broadcom) | Tech | 510 | $167,503 | Level III |
| 41 | Capital One | Finance | 490 | $108,008 | Level II |
| 42 | Ford Motor | Auto | 470 | $106,843 | Level II |
| 43 | Morgan Stanley | Finance | 450 | $145,000 | Level II–III |
| 44 | Samsung | Tech | 430 | $135,000 | Level II–III |
| 45 | Broadcom | Tech | 420 | $155,000 | Level III |
| 46 | Cummins | Manufacturing | 400 | $86,313 | Level I–II |
| 47 | Stripe | Tech | 380 | $185,000 | Level III–IV |
| 48 | Airbnb | Tech | 360 | $175,000 | Level III–IV |
| 49 | Databricks | Tech | 350 | $190,000 | Level III–IV |
| 50 | Snap Inc. | Tech | 340 | $175,000 | Level III |
Source: USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub (FY 2025) and Department of Labor LCA records. Approvals for ranks 7–50 are estimates based on available petition and LCA data. Average salaries reflect each employer’s typical H-1B filing across all roles.
How wage levels vary by employer type
The salary gap across these 50 employers is significant, and it matters more than ever under the wage-weighted selection system. The table below groups the top sponsors by sector and shows how their average H-1B salaries compare.
| Sector | Avg. H-1B Salary | Typical Wage Level | Projected Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Tech (Google, Meta, Apple, NVIDIA, Netflix) | $165,000–$248,000 | Level III–IV | 46–61% |
| Finance (JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Citibank) | $134,000–$148,000 | Level II–III | 31–46% |
| Consulting / Big Four (Deloitte, EY, PwC, Accenture) | $113,000–$157,000 | Level II–III | 31–46% |
| IT Services (TCS, Infosys, Cognizant, Wipro, HCL) | $84,000–$108,000 | Level I–II | 15–31% |
For every $1 a Cognizant H-1B worker earns, a Google H-1B worker earns roughly $1.78. That pay gap now translates directly into selection odds. Employers like NVIDIA ($226,005 average), Meta ($197,373), and Salesforce ($189,764) file predominantly at Level III and IV, giving their registrations up to a 61% chance of selection.
By contrast, IT outsourcing firms that rely on Level I and II filings face selection rates as low as 15%. That does not bar them from the cap, but it means they must file stronger petitions with clearer specialty-occupation justifications to offset the numerical disadvantage.
📊 Data Note: Cognizant, TCS, and Infosys filed over 21,000 H-1B petitions combined in FY 2026 with average salaries under $105,000. Under the new weighted system, these firms face materially lower selection odds compared with big-tech employers paying Level III–IV wages.
What happens next if selected
Selection is not approval. It only allows the employer to file the full petition.
After selection, the employer must usually complete these steps:
- Confirm the offered role still exists.
- File or finalize the Labor Condition Application.
- Prepare Form I-129 and supporting evidence.
- Prove the job is a specialty occupation.
- Show the worker meets the degree or equivalent requirement.
FY 2027 H-1B filing fees
| Fee | Amount | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | $215 | Yes |
| I-129 Filing | $780 | Yes |
| ACWIA | $750-$1,500 | Yes |
| Fraud Prevention | $500 | Yes |
| Premium Processing | $2,805 | No |
There is also a $100,000 supplemental fee for certain petitions involving workers outside the United States, effective after September 2025. Employers should review whether that charge applies before filing.
💼 Employee Tip: Ask for your SOC code, wage level, worksite location, and salary. Those details affect both cap strategy and later compliance.
What if the registration was not selected
If a beneficiary is not selected, the employer cannot file a cap-subject H-1B petition for that fiscal year unless USCIS runs a later selection round.
Employers and employees should then review alternatives:
| Option | Who It Fits | Lottery Required |
|---|---|---|
| Cap-exempt H-1B | Universities, nonprofit research, related entities | No |
| O-1 | Workers with national or international acclaim | No |
| L-1 | Intracompany transferees | No |
| TN | Certain Canadian and Mexican professionals | No |
| F-1 OPT/STEM OPT | Recent graduates in qualifying fields | No H-1B lottery |
Many mid-sized employers are now focusing more on candidates already in the United States, especially those on F-1 OPT or STEM OPT. That lowers relocation costs and may avoid the new overseas fee issues.
Policy context and data verification
USCIS previously announced that the FY 2026 cap had been reached, including both the 65,000 regular cap and 20,000 U.S. advanced degree exemption.
For FY 2027, employers should monitor official pages for final counts, any second-round selections, and filing instructions. The USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub is still one of the best tools for checking sponsor history, though there was a brief update-related outage in March 2026.
That temporary gap matters because H-1B planning now depends more heavily on public wage and filing trends.
Looking ahead to FY 2028
If USCIS keeps the same structure, employers should expect the next registration season to open in early March 2027, with results by late March 2027.
Preparation should start much earlier. Employers should identify roles by January 2027, confirm the proper SOC code, check the prevailing wage, and review whether a higher wage level is justified by the job facts.
Employees should gather diplomas, transcripts, prior immigration records, resumes, and evaluation reports before registration opens.
⏰ Deadline: Selected FY 2027 cases should move into petition drafting immediately. Waiting until June creates avoidable filing risk.
Employers should begin case review now, confirm whether selected beneficiaries meet specialty occupation standards, and verify the offered wage against the proper DOL level. Employees should confirm their selection notice, degree match, worksite, and salary details before the petition is filed. Watch for USCIS filing updates through April 1 to June 30, 2026, and track official announcements on the USCIS H-1B cap season pages.
📋 Official Resources: – H-1B Program: uscis.gov/h-1b-specialty-occupations – Cap Season: uscis.gov/h-1b-cap-season – Prevailing Wages: flcdatacenter.com
